The Electric Volkswagen SP2 That Never Was

Author

Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
August 10th, 2025

Welcome to the latest issue of autoevolution weekly!

Let’s begin by talking about the 1972 Volkswagen SP2, its legacy, and its often-forgotten true designer (and an electric successor that never reached the assembly line).

Back to present day, we take the 2025 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4MATIC for a drive and discuss main take-aways and conclusions.

If you ever wondered about all that “SAE autonomy levels” business and still can’t make heads or tails about it, this article will help put that to rest (at least when it comes to Level 3, we’ll talk about Level 4 in a separate article).

With the EV credit going away at the end of next month, this might be the best time to either buy or lease an electric car. That’s where our list of this month’s most affordable leases comes in.

You’ve definitely heard about Goole Maps and Waze and probably use at least one of them in your car (unless you’re part of the HERE WeGo crowd). But have you heard about… Magic Earth?

Lastly, our Hot Wheels unboxing series continues with 10 premium models, among which you’ll find at least three Porsches, a Nissan Skyline GT-R and a Bugatti (secret!)

PS: if this newsletter was forwarded to you, here’s a handy link if you’d like to subscribe yourself.

Table of Contents

The Electric Volkswagen SP2 That Never Was

By: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo

It is a bittersweet sensation to see posts about the Volkswagen SP2. The sweet bit of the story is that it is considered the most beautiful car the company has ever conceived. The bitter taste comes from people who have no idea who designed that beauty. I felt that again after seeing renderings of an electric SP2, created by Tibor Juhasz in 2017.

Volkswagen's lead design communications officer shared them on LinkedIn and, among other things, he wrote: "the design pays tribute to Giugiaro's iconic style: clean surfaces, strong proportions, and bold graphics."

Too bad that Giorgetto Giugiaro has nothing to do with the SP2. The man who conceived it was called Márcio Lima Piancastelli, and he died on June 18, 2015. A bit more than 10 years after his passing, people keep killing him by ignoring what he accomplished.

Piancastelli was born on September 7, 1936, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. When he was a child, he worked at his family's furniture company and demonstrated an interest in designing automobiles and cities. That led him to an architecture degree and the Lúcio Meira Car Design Award in 1962. He was 26, and his Itapuan project caught the attention of jurors like Mario Fissore and Luigi Segre, from Carrozzeria Ghia.

The Itapuan only made it to second place, but Segre offered Piancastelli a one-year internship at his company. Sadly, he passed away at the beginning of 1963. Although Segre did not tell anyone about the internship for the Brazilian designer, Piancastelli still managed to spend a year at Carrozzeria Ghia. When he got back home, he landed a job at Willys Overland do Brasil, eventually moving to DKW-Vemag, which Volkswagen bought. That's how he got to work on the SP2.

At the time, Rudolf Wilhelm Karl Leiding had started working at Volkswagen's Brazilian branch as its CEO. The company's lineup was not that attractive, but the German brand sold Beetle chassis to several small carmakers. Rumor has it that an executive of one of these companies told Leiding he could have one of their models (a Puma) because Volkswagen did not have a sports car. That would have pushed the CEO to start Project X in 1970.

Piancastelli was the main designer involved with the Type 149, although José Vicente "Jota" Novita Martins created the original draft. The SP2 is a car that German technology magazine Hobby called the "most beautiful Volkswagen in the world." Several people still repeat that. Piancastelli also helped develop the Brasilia, Gol, Voyage (known as Fox in the US), Parati, and several other local models, but the SP2 caused the most impact when it comes to design.

Note: this is an abridged version, you can find the full article on our site.

Driven: 2025 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4MATIC – a Surprisingly Sharp and Very Sporty SUV

By: Sergiu Tudose

People often ask themselves whether models such as the 2025 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 are “true AMG” products, or just an extension of the AMG Line, and to an extent, that is a fair question. For instance, the GLC 43 competes against the likes of the BMW X3 M50, which isn’t a proper M Division car, despite its excellent performance characteristics.

I like how Mercedes didn’t take any massive chances on the second-gen GLC. This is a handsome SUV. I called it “agreeable in the design department” back when I tested the 2025 GLC Coupe variant. By the way, it was the GLC 63 S E Performance, and if you want to read that review, you can do so right here.

2025 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4MATIC

Compared to the regular GLC, this specification is wider, lower, and more visually aggressive, but it doesn’t go overboard with any of that stuff. I much prefer the look of the GLC 43 compared to both the X3 M50 and the third-generation Audi Q5.

Our test car came with an Obsidian Black Metallic exterior, 20” double 10-spoke AMG wheels, the AMG Dynamic Plus package (red-painted calipers), the AMG Styling package, black AMG grille, quad exhaust pipes (a bit extreme for a four-cylinder but whatever; it looks good), and absolutely amazing headlights – LED Digital Light units with projections.

These babies can project visual alerts into the driver’s field of view on the road, showing you a variety of icons that help you detect issues such as construction zones, pedestrians, lane drift, or following too closely. The latter one is easy to “activate”. All you need to do is follow the car ahead a bit too closely without showing signs of slowing down, and the headlights will do the rest. It’s really quite cool and not at all gimmicky.

2025 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4MATIC (interior)

In the United States, you can get them only by buying the Pinnacle Trim package, which is a $4,300 optional extra. It’s worth it though, because it also adds the Burmester 3D Surround Sound system, a head-up display, enhanced ambient lighting, and a great deal more.

In terms of overall build quality, the GLC is a solid product. It feels just as expensive as an E-Class and considerably more upmarket than the new C-Class – and may I remind you that wasn’t always the case.

I also think the GLC has a nicer interior than the X3 and the new Q5, and if you opt for this SUV model over the Coupe variant, you also get less of a sloping roofline (aka more room in the back), to go with a more voluminous trunk.

2025 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4MATIC

It’s got 21.9 cu.ft (620 liters) of cargo capacity with the backseat in place, which you can then extend to 56.3 cu.ft (1,594 liters) with everything folded flat. You also get 39.7 inches (100 cm) of headroom at the back, and 37.4 inches (95 cm) of total legroom.

All things considered, I’d give the interior of the GLC 43, as presented here, a solid 9.5/10 as far as its interior is concerned. You really don’t see that many great-looking, well-built interiors in new cars nowadays, even with premium brands – unless, of course, it’s some type of flagship model like an S-Class or an S-Class equivalent.

If you’d like to learn more about the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4MATIC SUV, including my full impressions, make sure to read the full review on our website.

Understanding Level 3 Autonomous Driving Systems (from Currently Available to Upcoming)

By: Mircea Panait

Note: this is an abridged version of the full article that you can read on our site.

The SAE J3016 standard specifies that Level 0 through Level 2 systems are driver support features. Autonomy starts with Level 3, and believe it or not, few automakers have released certified Level 3 suites commercially as of 2025.

Local driverless taxis (e.g.: Waymo) operate at Level 4 or higher autonomy, with higher being true automation in the form of Level 5 systems.

A handful of car manufacturers are presently upgrading their Level 2 systems to Level 3 autonomy through much trial and error, with Level 3 being the difficult first step toward complete driving automation. Goldman Sachs estimates that 10 percent of global new vehicle sales could be Level 3 by 2030, an outlook that edges on wishful thinking when you take a good look at the state of driving automation today.

That look can be split between commercially available Level 3 suites and Level 2 systems that are currently being updated to provide Level 3 autonomy. To keep this piece sweet and to the point, we will focus on current and forthcoming Level 3 systems from automakers exclusively.

Mercedes DRIVE PILOT (certified SAE Level 3 Autonomous drive system)

Level 3 autonomy stands for driving autonomy under certain prerequisites and in limited conditions. Autonomy should not be confused with letting the system do all the work because Level 3 is conditional automation.

By conditional, the Society of Automotive Engineers refers to driver intervention over steering, braking, and acceleration, when required. Conditional automation is a clear step up from Level 2's partial automation and Level 4's high automation.

The person behind the wheel and pedals must be ready to take over control at all times for obvious reasons, but there is also the matter of autonomous driving regulatory and legal hurdles. Many countries – including the United States – are taking an extremely cautious approach due to stuffy legal frameworks for liability assessment in the event of a crash.

Here’s the full list of Level 3 systems that are currently commercially available or are known to be in development. For a lot more insight into SAE autonomy levels, please continue reading on our site.

  1. Commercially Available L3 Systems

    1. Honda SENSING Elite with Traffic Jam Pilot

    2. Mercedes-Benz DRIVE PILOT

    3. BMW Personal Pilot L3

  2. Under Development L3 Systems

    1. Tesla Full Self-Driving

    2. Stellantis STLA AutoDrive

    3. GM Super Cruise

    4. Ford BlueCruise

    5. Rivian Autonomy Platform

    6. Volvo Ride Pilot

The Best Electric Car Lease Deals in August 2025

By: Cristian Agatie

President Trump's OBBB Act set an expiration date for the federal EV credit on September 30. Although this move might have a devastating effect on the EV market starting with the fourth quarter, it will likely propel the third quarter EV sales to record highs.

This makes August one of the best months to shop for an electric vehicle. Besides ensuring that you take delivery of your car before September 30, you also benefit from lower prices before the new tariffs affect the prices of imported EVs. However, domestic EV prices might also be impacted as well, because many use imported parts.

Volkswagen ID. 4 at $129/mo with a 2 year contract

This is why you'll notice some of the best lease rates since we started following this topic exactly one year ago. We've only listed the 10 cheapest lease offers at the time of writing and the standout offer is for the Volkswagen ID.4, which, for the first time, can be leased for only $129 per month on a 24-month contract with $2,499 due at signing.

The most expensive EV in this month's round-up is the 2025 Ford F-150 Lightning, also at its best offer ever. The XLT trim is now only $237, a shockingly low rate for the best-selling electric pickup truck on the market. To give you an idea, the Ford Mustang Mach-E is more expensive to lease, starting at $242 monthly. Although not included in our article, the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 is also an impossibly good offer at $279 per month.

The list follows, you can find the full details/prices in the article on our website if you're interested.

  1. 2025 Volkswagen ID.4 Pro RWD

  2. 2025 Kia Niro EV Wind

  3. 2025 Honda Prologue

  4. 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6 SE Standard Range

  5. 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Standard Range

  6. 2025 Nissan Ariya FWD Engage

  7. 2025 Hyundai Kona EV SE

  8. 2024 Fiat 500e Inspi(RED)

  9. 2025 Toyota bZ4X FWD XLE

  10. 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning XLT

Free Google Maps or Paid Magic Earth?

By: Bogdan Popa

One of the most important stories of the week concerned Magic Earth. This top Google Maps alternative focuses on user privacy, promising that no data is ever sold or collected.

The app has always been available free of charge, but starting this summer, the parent company switched to a subscription-based model. The decision reignited an old dilemma: Are free navigation apps, such as Google Maps, good enough, or are users willing to pay more bucks for a premium experience?

Magic Earth app goes subscription-based

They say iPhones are the most desirable smartphones in the world, and teens, in particular, are ready to spend big bucks just to get a device flexing the famous Apple logo. However, a bunch of thieves from the UK loved Android more than iOS, so they stole a truck carrying thousands of Samsung devices. 

The cargo also included the latest-generation Samsung foldables, so this could have been a massive hit. However, the English job didn't work as planned, as someone noticed the missing cargo, alerted the police, and recovered the phones before it was too late.

Kia and Hyundai owners probably continue to sleep with one eye open, as they must always remain vigilant. Teens continue to steal unpatched cars affected by the infamous TikTok vulnerability, and police say parking inside a garage is the only way to avoid turning your car into a sitting duck.

Unboxing: 10 Premium Hot Wheels Diecast Cars

Finding balance is hard when you're on a limited budget. What I'm trying to say is that I've made some big steps with my Hot Wheels collection in the past few months. I looked through all of my boxes today and realized how many premium collectibles I've purchased.

But there was something else I was even more enthusiastic about. I finally bought a Kruzzel suitcase with enough space for 46 cars! But I'll probably need 10 more to fit my entire collection. Last week, I started taking photos of some of the coolest Hot Wheels I purchased recently.

I might do this every month, coming up with multiple stories depending on the car's level: entry-level, semi-premium, and premium. Today, I'm dealing with the latter.

Here’s the full list of diecasts:

  1. Porsche 911 GT2 EVO 993 (Elite 64)

  2. 2020 Toyota GR Supra

  3. Porsche 934.5

  4. Custom Datsun 240Z

  5. Horizon Hauler

  6. MG Metro 6R4

  7. Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7

  8. Nissan Skyline GT-R (BNR32)

  9. '16 Bugatti Chiron

  10. '24 Honda Civic Type-R

Note: for the full version of the text, including details about these cars AND the gallery of over 60 photos, see the full article on our site.

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